05/13/2014
2013-14 Major Award Winners

The following major awards were given at our annual Ahtletics Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, May 13.

President' Award- Presented to the student whose hard work, determination, hustle and attitude have enabled them to make valuable contributions to their team, the athletic department and the college.

President Andrew Matonak with Jenna Brophy

2013-2014 Female President’s Award Winner- Jenna Brophy

Jenna is the college's first ever #1 Singles National Champion in tennis! To put her athletic accomplishments in perspective, Jenna never lost a conference or regional match in her two years on the team, en route to two Regional Championships. She helped lead the tennis team to two consecutive Mountain Valley Conference Championships, a feat that had never previously been accomplished. Jenna’s success carried over to the classroom as well, as she has posted a 3.59 GPA in the Respiratory Care program. She also received the SUNY Chancellor’s Scholar-Athlete Award in 2013, which recognizes the ideal combination of academic excellence and outstanding athletic achievement at the NCAA Division 1 and 3, and all three NJCAA levels. She was one of only 66 recipients in the entire nation for the award that year proving she is truly elite. Jenna will return to the college next year to complete her final year in the Respiratory Care Program.

President Andrew Matonak with Head Baseball Coach Joey DiPiazza on behalf of Charles Parslow

2013-2014 Male President’s Award Winner- Charles Parslow

Charles was a captain on this year’s baseball team and is the true definition of a “student-athlete”. He was a recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, which recognizes students who have best demonstrated the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, and career achievement. Charles was a peer tutor in the college’s Learning Assistance Center and has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average during his tenure studying Engineering Science. He was also a recipient of the 2014 Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities award presented by the college in February. Charles excelled on the baseball diamond as well. During the 2012-2013 season he pitched a perfect game, earning both All-Region and All-Conference honors. This season, Charles pitched four complete games with a 2.56 ERA, compiling 16 hits at the plate. He will continue his academic and athletic aspirations next fall at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

It is not an understatement to say that Maggie did it all for the softball team this season, earning 11 wins on the mound, and leading the team with three homeruns with a .372 average. She pitched nearly 90 innings on the year compiling 13 complete games. Maggie’s strongest game was against North Country when she pitched a no-hitter, only an error short of a perfect game. She was a silent leader who led by example with her toughness and heart.

Eric led the team in batting with a .435 average, where he led all of Region 3 and finished in the top 20 nationally. He led the team with 9 doubles, 6 triples, 25 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases. Eric also earned back-to-back Region 3 Athlete of the Week honors for the first time in program history. Head Coach Joey DiPiazza states that he is the most talented player he has ever coached, and Eric backed this statement up with his play this year. After only one season, Eric has verbally accepted a scholarship offer to play at the University at Albany next season.

Otto Guenther Memorial Award- Presented to a male and female student-athlete who demonstrates the best combination of academic and athletic success.

VP Dr. Alexander Popovics with Liz Batchelder

2013-2014 Female Otto Guenther Award Winner- Liz Batchelder

Liz competed on the championship tennis team and also was a member of the women’s golf team for the past two years. In 2012, Liz competed in doubles tennis, and in 2013 she participated in singles and doubles. She finished the regular season undefeated in both this year, for a perfect 7-0 record. Liz was an All-Conference recipient, finishing second in singles at Regionals, and was a semifinalist in doubles at Nationals. In golf, Liz improved her average by 20 strokes this season. Her athletic accolades are complemented by her academics where she has achieved a 3.91 GPA, and will graduate with an associate’s degree in liberal arts. She was a recipient of the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Liz will return to Hudson Valley next fall, as she has been accepted into the Dental Hygiene program.

VP Dr. Alexander Popovics with Ricky Piper

2013-2014 Male Otto Guenther Award Winner- Ricky Piper

Ricky was a two-year goalie for the ice hockey team, appearing in 16 total games. This past season, Ricky had a 2.59 goals against average and a .913 save percentage to help lead the team to a top five ranking nationally. In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Ricky has demonstrated admirable success in the classroom. He was a recipient of the 2014 Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges presented to select students at the college each year. A Physical Education major, he achieved a 3.70 GPA and will be graduating with an associate’s degree in physical education. Ricky will be attending Manhattanville College to pursue his Bachelor’s degree.

Paul F. Bishop Coach of the Year Award- Presented to the coach who exhibits the highest level of sportsmanship, leadership, professionalism and ethics, and who demonstrates the highest level of commitment to his/her sport, the athletic department and, most importantly, to the student-athletes.

For the second straight year, Denise has guided our tennis program to back-to-back Conference Championships and undefeated seasons. The ladies took all six spots in All-Conference selections, and finished second in the Regional Tournament. The team racked up three singles and one doubles Regional Championships, and also qualified for Nationals in Flushing, NY, where they finished sixth, despite being down a player in both singles and doubles. To top it all off, Denise coached our first ever #1 Singles National Champion. She has given our tennis program national recognition and consistency to compete at the highest level.

Willie A. Hammett Award for Excellence in Student Service- Presented to a person on our campus that has shown a willingness to go above and beyond to assist students in fulfilling their potential.

Don serves the college as a member of the Chancellor’s Award Committee, the Orientation Committee, and was on the Faculty Association Executive Board for nine years. He is the past-President of the New York College Learning Skills Association and a member of the National Association of Developmental Education. Don has been actively involved in Boy Scouts of America for over 30 years, and won the Chancellor’s Award for Faculty Service in 2012. He dedicates a tremendous amount of time and effort to our athletic department, specifically in helping our student-athletes academically. He works with them individually and as a team in the form of workshops and small group support. In addition to his service to the athletic department, Don takes a special interest in supporting all of our sports programs. He attends many of our athletic events and gets to know each student-athlete on an individual basis.